Teen tells judge he bought tiger cub on streets of Tijuana
SAN DIEGO — A California teenager who says he bought a Bengal tiger cub on the streets of Tijuana for $300 was arrested when he tried to bring it into the United States in his 2017 Chevy Camaro.
Luis Eudoro Valencia was charged with smuggling a Bengal tiger into the United States after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials found the furry cub lying on the floor of the passenger side of his car during an inspection around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Otay Mesa border crossing.
“CBP officers are often faced with unusual situations,” said Pete Flores, director of field operations for Customs and Border Protection in San Diego.
The 18-year-old U.S. citizen, who lives in Perris, said he had purchased the tiger for $300 from someone who was walking a full-sized tiger on a leash in Tijuana, according to court documents. Several Bengal tigers, which are native to South Asia, have been seized this year by Mexican authorities in Tijuana.